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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27220762">stupid is the color red</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/slugpostage/pseuds/slugpostage'>slugpostage</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>High School Musical: The Musical: The Series (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, F/M, Gen, Language, M/M, Not Canon Compliant, Swearing, Yearning, ashlyn and red talk a lot of shit, at all, i wrote this instead of telling my therapist about it, one sided maybe???, recently went through a dumb bitch moment, redky but make it a complicated situation, redlyn but make it friends, text fic kinda?, this follows an ambiguous timeline?, this is a vent fic</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-04-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 20:14:54</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,302</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27220762</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/slugpostage/pseuds/slugpostage</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Red knew this was risky. He shouldn’t have done it, because he knew it’d probably open up an unhealable wound, and he’d come out of it with no good feelings at all, but he did it anyway. He’d stayed up until almost two in the morning trying to craft the perfect set of memes to send to him, ones that would look natural and like a friend wanting to reconnect and not an ex-lover looking for a fight. </p><p>At 10:13 the next morning, he rapid-fired them. </p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Big Red &amp; Ashlyn Caswell, Big Red/Ricky Bowen (HSMTMTS), Implied Big Red/Ricky Bowen (HSMTMTS), Past Big Red/Ricky Bowen (HSMTMTS), Ricky Bowen/Nini Salazar-Roberts, mentioned Ricky Bowen &amp; E.J. Caswell</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>25</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>hey guys. sorry for the long hiatus, it's been rough. </p><p>within the roughness came this. </p><p>i missed you guys! let me know what y'all think of it so far :)))</p><p>it's not finished yet but i'm gonna get to it eventually</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Big Red stared at the texts, nerves coursing through his body. This was a stupid idea, right? </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>For the past three weeks, Big Red had been manifesting (well maybe not </span>
  <em>
    <span>manifesting</span>
  </em>
  <span>, but he definitely had been thinking about him a hell of a lot) his former best friend (and former crush? Things are complicated) Ricky Bowen. He’d been appearing in his dreams, randomly popping into his brain while doing totally unrelated things, and pretty much plaguing his mind for too long. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They hadn’t spoken in almost two years. Not since their weird huge falling out that Big Red couldn’t properly explain. It was about a lot of things, and it happened more than once, probably. It was just a lot. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ricky was nice. He was very much a golden boy, who you could tell was destined for something important like getting into some big college like someone out of a movie or just being the guy that everyone liked. He was great. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Red saw him like a brother, at first. Coincidentally, they had every class together one year and were always seated near each other. He doesn’t remember how they became friends—he probably just asked for the math homework or something—but after that, they were almost attached at the hip. Of course, sometimes Ricky would be too busy with his skater friends to look at him, but that’s just what boys do. Or, at least that’s what deplorable boys do. Looking back on it, Ricky kind of sucked. But not enough for Red to forget about him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ricky was kind, too. He was helpful, and was always there for you when you needed it, even if you didn’t know you needed it. Once when waiting for the door to open before history, someone from who knows where came up to him and started talking to him. Red’s not big on new people, especially loud and kind of aggressively ‘friendly’ people pushing him into a corner at nine in the morning. He thought he’d have to suffer through the discomfort, but Ricky glided into place in between them with a sense of casualty he’d never seen before. It was almost like he was meant to be Red’s shield from the rest of the world. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That’s where it gets complicated. Feelings get involved, and nothing good ever happens when feelings get involved. Big Red learned that the hard way. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ricky started first, sending him Instagram direct messages that started with </span>
  <em>
    <span>I need to tell you something</span>
  </em>
  <span> that resulted in Red jumping to conclusions that weren’t real. Once Red had given up hope and let go of what he thought he felt, Ricky dropped the bomb—</span>
  <em>
    <span>I like you. I never really knew how to tell you because you always seemed to look at me like just a friend, but I do. I’ve liked you for months.</span>
  </em>
  <span> What he forgot to do was tell Big Red was that he still had some loose ends to tie up with someone else—a girl. The topic of Ricky’s bisexuality never came up, nor did his current </span>
  <em>
    <span>fling</span>
  </em>
  <span>. She just appeared one day, and sooner than later he chose her instead of him (last day of school, he waited for him by the bleachers so he could walk next to him on the way to the buses where he’d </span>
  <em>
    <span>‘accidentally’</span>
  </em>
  <span> brush his hand against Ricky’s and they’d look at each other and blush and smile, only for that dream to be crushed as he watched him walk right past him with his </span>
  <em>
    <span>fling</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Ouch.)</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They never talked about it after. He invited Red over to his house a few times, all on short notice. He’d thought that he wanted to—no, </span>
  <em>
    <span>needed</span>
  </em>
  <span> to see him so much that he had to invite him over or else he’d die. Yeah, that wasn’t it at all. Every time he went over there, like clockwork, his jock buddy E.J. would be sprawled out on Ricky’s couch, and Ricky would forget Red even came. There was only one instance when he was there alone, but Ricky got so restless that the two of them walked to his friend Kaden’s house. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was so different from what Big Red was used to. Before, Ricky was bubbly, fun, and he always had a smile on his face. It was never awkward with them. But now that they’re an unspoken </span>
  <em>
    <span>something, </span>
  </em>
  <span>all he seems to want to do is get away. He’s not the same person who would wedge himself between Red and the world, now he brings someone to put up a wall between them. He learned a lot about the new Ricky, a lot of things he didn’t like. The new Ricky had a temper. When Ricky got defensive, he fought hard to make a deep wound to take the hurt out of him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ricky did that. On the way home from Kaden’s house, he practically blew up at him in the cul-de-sac close to his house. Red doesn’t really remember what it was about, but he texted his mom and made her come get him after. He sat on Ricky’s kitchen floor in silence, wrapped up in his raincoat, fighting back tears the whole time. After that, there were a few futile attempts at reconnection, but Red just brushed them off. Even E.J., who he’d always thought hated him, tried to reach out on Ricky’s behalf, but he didn’t want any of it. Sure, he still tried to look cool while he walked past his lunch table (he never noticed), but he was totally over it. Kinda. Pretty much.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Backstory aside, he knew this was risky. He shouldn’t have done it, because he knew it’d probably open up an unhealable wound, and he’d come out of it with no good feelings at all, but he did it anyway. Ricky showing up literally everywhere around him at almost any time seemed less and less like a coincidence every time it happened. Ashlyn agreed—of course he consulted with her, who else is supposed to keep him on his path to spiritual righteousness?—so he ran with it. He’d stayed up until almost two in the morning trying to craft the perfect set of memes to send to him, ones that would look natural and like a friend wanting to reconnect and not an ex-lover looking for a fight. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>At 10:13 the next morning, he rapid-fired them. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <b>redyellowbleu:</b>
  <span> hey</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>redyellowbleu sent a post</b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>redyellowbleu sent a post</b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>redyellowbleu sent a post</b>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>After thirty seconds of self-doubt, he shut off his phone. There was no going back now, and it’d make him feel worse if he waited for him to open it. With his luck, he wouldn’t have Instagram anymore and would never ever read it. Or maybe he’d have weird night-only hours and wouldn’t get back to him until he was asleep. Either way, there was no real reason to panic.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>skateratricky:</b> literally thank god you said </p>
<p>something first i was so scared to spark any </p>
<p>kind of conversation with you i’m literally </p>
<p>so terrified right now</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Big Red let out a yelp and dropped his phone. Fuck, that was really fast, even for Ricky. At least now there’s no way he can back out now. </p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>redyellowbleu:</b> OKAY GOOD I THOUGHT </p>
<p>I WAS THE ONLY ONE</p>
<p>
  <b>skateratricky liked a message </b>
</p>
<p><b>skateratricky:</b> I’M SO FUCKING SORRY </p>
<p>FOR BEING A LITTLE BITCH</p>
<p><b>redyellowbleu:</b> I’M SORRY FOR BEING MEAN AND </p>
<p>PROJECTING MY PROBLEMS ONTO </p>
<p>YOU GWBDGHDGFJD</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It wasn’t as bad as he thought. Big Red turned his ringer on and put his phone down as he started to flip through the pizzeria’s menus. Yes, he was <em> technically </em> at work, but all he really had to do was make sure that everything was on the right pages—sometimes kids know how to get the pages off of the rings, so Red has to check them before they open every day.</p>
<p>Red turned his head as his phone let out a small <em> ding </em>. </p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>skateratricky:</b> red this is great, </p>
<p>you haven’t changed at all. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>He smiled softly at Ricky’s words. In Ricky’s eyes, he was still the guy that loved hanging out in his bedroom playing Fortnite and watching weird YouTube videos. In some ways, it’s true, but he’s not really the same as before. He’s grown a bit. It’s been two years. Red wishes they were both the same, but he knows that’s not true. He’s watched Ricky blossom over the years, watched him grow up and move into his place in the world, a place separate from his own. Does Ricky even know what he wants to do anymore? </p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>skateratricky:</b> so what have you been </p>
<p>up to this year?</p>
<p><b>redyellowbleu:</b> not much ig</p>
<p><b>redyellowbleu:</b> i quit marching band </p>
<p>because fucking yikes</p>
<p><b>redyellowbleu:</b> and i tried my hand this </p>
<p>year at robotics club</p>
<p><b>redyellowbleu:</b> i really love it there</p>
<p><b>skateratricky: </b>dude that’s so cool</p>
<p><b>skateratricky: </b>i’m really happy for you.</p>
<p><b>redyellowbleu:</b> thanks :)))</p>
<p><b>redyellowbleu: </b>what have u been doing?</p>
<p><b>skateratricky:</b> ha</p>
<p><b>skateratricky:</b> not much</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Typical Ricky. He’d always downplay his accomplishments, even though they both knew what they really were. He was always supportive of Red when he got a 70 on a math test, despite him getting a perfect score. It’s something he always admired about him. </p>
<p>Talking to him seemed easy. Well, it was all the fundamental “catch up” stuff, but it still was better than not talking at all. Red was glad it wasn’t so complicated. He’d spent years digging through his memories, trying to come to terms with why it was so complicated. Maybe it was all in his head. Maybe this time, it’d be better. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>———</p>
<p> </p>
<p>So, actually, it was not better. </p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>skateratricky: </b>actually</p>
<p><b>skateratricky: </b>uh</p>
<p><b>skateratricky: </b>there is a girl</p>
<p><b>skateratricky: </b>and she already knows about you</p>
<p><b>skateratricky:</b> she thinks you’re really cool</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Ashlyn, do you think he’s trying to set me up with someone?” Big Red asks, holding out his arm. </p>
<p>She snatches his phone, standing up from her spot on her bed. “Um…” she starts. “Oh, gross, yeah, I think he is.” </p>
<p>Red nodded and flopped back onto the bed. “Okay, cool, but like...what do I <em> say </em> ?” He groans, throwing his hands up in the air. “Like, I don’t <em> want </em> a girlfriend, and I don’t wanna get set up with one of his friends. I mean, not really. I dunno, this is just a lot.” </p>
<p>“No, you’re right, it is a lot,” she replies, scrolling through the messages. “Just kind of super enforce that you just want friends right now. Maybe he’ll back off.” </p>
<p>She hands the phone back to him. “Thanks,” he says. </p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>redyellowbleu:</b> omg do i get to make a friend</p>
<p><b>redyellowbleu:</b> i love friends pls</p>
<p><b>skateratricky:</b> yea she really wants to meet you</p>
<p><b>redyellowbleu:</b> pls what’s her ig</p>
<p><b>skateratricky:</b> lol she literally just asked the same thing</p>
<p><b>skateratricky:</b> this is so cool</p>
<p><b>skateratricky:</b> hang on i’m gonna make a gc</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>“Son of a bitch,” Red sighed. “He’s putting us in a group chat.” </p>
<p>“Yikes,” Ashlyn says, pulling out her Nintendo Switch. </p>
<p>“Literally. I don’t even know who this girl is.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>skateratricky created a group! say hi!</b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>skateratricky: </b>nini this is big red</p>
<p><b>skateratricky:</b> red this is nini</p>
<p><b>skateratricky:</b> she’s my girlfriend :))</p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>niniukegirl:</b> hi !!!! </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>“It’s just...it’s weird, y’know? He claims to have been dating her for, like, six months, and yet her page is dry. He’s weird and doesn’t have any posts, so I get that, but she posts. It rubs me the wrong way.” </p><p>“From a friendly standpoint, it doesn’t seem like a genuine connection, and you’re worried about him. But from a jealous ex perspective, you compare the way he acts with her to the way he acted with you, and for the most part, it’s really different.” She pauses. “Honestly, I think he still has feelings for you.” </p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“Girlfriend? Since when does Ricky have a girlfriend?” Ashlyn asked, shoving a fork full of salad into her mouth.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Since six months ago, I guess,” Red sighed. He put his fork down, “When he, like, said it, I was cool, because I’m not looking to try and get with him, y’know?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Right,” Ashlyn replies, nodding. “Yeah, I get that.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He picked up his fork and started poking around his salad, “But when he started talking to her about, like, all the lovey shit, and </span>
  <em>
    <span>‘Oh, Ricky, buy me cute earrings like Red has’</span>
  </em>
  <span> or </span>
  <em>
    <span>‘is that like the jazz you listen to when we facetime?’</span>
  </em>
  <span>” He stabbed a cucumber with his fork. “Fucking yuck, Ash. I literally wanted to throw up, I was so disgusted.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I mean, you’re in a group chat together,” Ashlyn starts, waving her roll around as she talks, “why would they be doing cutesy shit in front of you? That’s weird.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Exactly!” He exclaims, throwing his hands. “Like, she’s nice and everything, but why the fuck are you gonna talk about the music you guys have phone sex to—”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wait, they said they have phone sex to jazz music?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, but why else would you listen to jazz music?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ashlyn pauses then nods, “Good point. Jazz music during sex is kinda lame. It’s like you’re trying too hard to be sexy.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Right? Anyway,” Red says, taking a sip from his drink. “Like, I get it, you guys are </span>
  <em>
    <span>so</span>
  </em>
  <span> in love and stuff, but I literally don’t give a fuck about it. Why am I supposed to care about what they do and stuff?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It sounds like you care,” she points out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dammit, I do care,” he huffs. “It’s not fucking fair. I was fine when he was talking about her outside of the group, and even in the group, it was cool. Like I said, she’s really nice…” he trailed off. Ashlyn stayed silent, so he continued. “But once they started acting like they actually liked each other, it made me really really sad. And jealous. Jealous and sad.” He took a sip of his soda, “It’s like he’s trying to shove his happy relationship in my face. Like, </span>
  <em>
    <span>ooh, Red, remember that time we were a thing and how that was a fucking plane crash? Well, look at how much better I am now!</span>
  </em>
  <span>” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ashlyn finishes chewing the rest of her roll, “Where did she even come from?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?” He asks. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Like...where did he meet her?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Red face stretches into a grin. He holds back a laugh and brings his finger to his lips. “Damn, I’m really pissed at him right now, but I don’t know if I can do that to him,” he says guiltily.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do what?” Ashlyn asks, taking a swig of her water.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Expose him like that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She leans forward, a grin identical to his appearing on her face. “Oh my god, is it </span>
  <em>
    <span>that</span>
  </em>
  <span> bad?” she whispers.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He nods, giggling. “I can’t…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Red, oh my god, please. Dude, I will literally buy you whatever you want, please tell me.” He shakes his head, and she presses on. “Dairy Queen, man, I will get you whatever Orange Julius stuff you want, </span>
  <em>
    <span>please</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Finally he caves. “Omegle,” he confesses, turning the same shade as his namesake. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh my God,” Ashlyn gasps, a hand going over her mouth, “No way.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He did,” he squeaks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The two start cracking up, loud enough to get dirty looks from the Facebook moms a few tables over. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ashlyn sighs, wiping a few tears away, “That’s so fucking </span>
  <em>
    <span>sad</span>
  </em>
  <span>! Jesus, I know he’s desperate, but </span>
  <em>
    <span>Omegle</span>
  </em>
  <span>?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He smiled, “Yeah...I mean, I dunno, I don’t wanna bash him for it because sometimes it works, but it is kinda sad.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, yeah, but this is Omegle. He really thinks he met his soulmate on Omegle?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He didn’t say </span>
  <em>
    <span>soulmate</span>
  </em>
  <span>—”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“—I mean, how many dicks do you think he saw trying to find this girl?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“—but honestly I don’t even think he likes her that much. Wait, gross, people show their dicks on Omegle??</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uh, yeah,” Ashlyn rolls her eyes. “Wait, sorry, I forgot you’ve never been on Omegle. It’s really fucking weird, and knowing that that’s where he met his </span>
  <em>
    <span>girlfriend</span>
  </em>
  <span> is really fucking sketchy.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, I know,” Red says, “but I really don’t even think he likes her.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How do you know?” she asks, taking another bite of her salad.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Well…</span>
  </em>
  <span>” he trails off. “I kinda stalked her Instagram?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I mean, yeah, duh, that’s what you’re supposed to do,” she explains with a shrug. “You’d be a shitty friend if you didn’t do your digging. Is it creepy because you still like him? Kinda, but trust, nobody passes up a chance to stalk their ex’s new </span>
  <em>
    <span>boo-thang.”</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Ew, </span>
  <em>
    <span>boo-thang</span>
  </em>
  <span>? Stop,” Red laughs. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shut up,” Ashlyn says with a chuckle. “Anyway, you stalked her Instagram?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah,” he replies. “So I stalked her Instagram, and there’s no evidence of him. No name in the bio, no comments on her posts—not even the pretty solo pictures. All he does is like her shit. Like, when we were a thing, I got comments. They weren’t the cutesy boyfriend comments or anything, but they were nice. Like, he’d make jokes and stuff. He doesn’t even do that with her, and they’re </span>
  <em>
    <span>actually</span>
  </em>
  <span> dating.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ashlyn hums thoughtfully. “Yeah, that is kinda sus. Y’know, knowing what I do about him, I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s only dating her because he missed being wanted.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Red nods, “It’s just...it’s weird, y’know? He claims to have been dating her for, like, six months, and yet her page is dry. He’s weird and doesn’t have any posts, so I get that, but she posts. It rubs me the wrong way.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And that’s valid!” Ashlyn exclaims. “From a friendly standpoint, it doesn’t seem like a genuine connection, and you’re worried about him. But from a jealous ex perspective, you compare the way he acts with her to the way he acted with you, and for the most part, it’s really different.” She pauses. “Honestly, I think he still has feelings for you.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Red’s jaw drops, “Uh, I don’t...I don’t think so.” Of course he does. Ever since he initiated conversation, he hoped that Ricky still felt </span>
  <em>
    <span>something</span>
  </em>
  <span>, and since talking to him and his girlfriend, he can’t help but hope there’s still a chance for him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She shrugs, “Whatever helps you get over them ruining jazz for you.” Ashlyn starts to pile her trash on top of her empty salad bowl. “So, are you ready to go?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He nods, “Sure.” </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>i told myself i'd wait to upload until i finished some new parts? but we all know i'm impatient, so there's that.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Is he coming off as being too needy? Maybe this is a sign that he should lay off texting him. Or just start taking longer to answer. Pretend like he’s busy so he doesn’t seem like a loser with no life that only goes to his allergist’s office and his family’s restaurant. Yeah, he can totally do that.</p><p>skateratricky: hey<br/>skateratricky: do you wanna hang out?</p><p>Starting tomorrow.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>hi! the next couple of updates are gonna be short.</p><p>also, i'm running out of prewritten parts, so i might take some time before uploading</p><p>happy (super late) halloween!!!!!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Since the new development of Nini (the “girlfriend”), it hasn’t been how Red hoped it’d be. Ricky doesn’t really text him anymore. Obviously it’s not like he’s obligated to talk to him 24/7, but that was kinda what Ricky did the first day, so it’s kinda sad that he isn’t holding that up. He accidentally brought it up with him, which led to a thread of messages that made him feel kind of weird.</p><p> </p><p><b>skateratricky: </b>i passed out</p><p><b>skateratricky: </b>i’m sorry</p><p><b>skateratricky: </b>good morning</p><p><b>skateratricky: </b>hi </p><p><b>skateratricky: </b>-yes i care about you</p><p><b>skateratricky: </b>-yes i’m ok with helping you</p><p><b>skateratricky: </b>-no i’m not constantly at my </p><p>phone</p><p><b>skateratricky: </b>-no i can’t always be there for </p><p>you</p><p><b>skateratricky: </b>-no i just don’t usually start </p><p>conversations.</p><p><b>skateratricky: </b>i’m sorry that i suck.</p><p> </p><p>Other than that, though, things have been going fine. Nothing else has really been going on in Big Red’s life. He helps with the family business (ha, coded mafia talk) and has been coding some stuff to bring to Robotics club. Not for any particular reason, he just kind of wanted to impress Mazzara. </p><p>But what was up with those messages? Is he coming off as being too needy? Maybe this is a sign that he should lay off texting him. Or just start taking longer to answer. Pretend like he’s busy so he doesn’t seem like a loser with no life that only goes to his allergist’s office and his family’s restaurant. Yeah, he can totally do that.</p><p> </p><p><b>skateratricky:</b> hey</p><p><b>skateratricky:</b> do you wanna hang out?</p><p> </p><p>Starting tomorrow.</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p><b>redyellowbleu:</b> i mean</p><p><b>redyellowbleu: </b>i’d have to ask my mom and stuff</p><p><b>redyellowbleu:</b> is ej gonna be there</p><p><b>skateratricky:</b> no</p><p><b>skateratricky:</b> just us</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>Um.</p><p>Red panics for a split second. Ricky wants to hang out with him. Alone. Isn’t that weird? When they were <em> a thing </em> , Ricky always invited E.J. as a clutch. He might show up unannounced or something, but still. It’s weird that Ricky would want to hang out—<em>alone</em>—considering their history, especially knowing that he has a girlfriend. </p><p> </p><p><b>redyellowbleu:</b> what does nini think about it</p><p><b>skateratricky: </b>she’s cool with it</p><p><b>redyellowbleu: </b>hey did you ever</p><p><b>redyellowbleu:</b> did you ever tell her about us?</p><p><b>skateratricky: </b>yeah.</p><p><b>redyellowbleu: </b>and she’s still cool with us hanging out?</p><p><b>redyellowbleu:</b> alone?</p><p> </p><p><b>skateratricky: </b>why wouldn’t she be?</p><p><b>redyellowbleu:</b> oh</p><p><b>redyellowbleu:</b> idk</p><p> </p><p>Something about this doesn’t seem right. </p><p>It’s kind of weird that Ricky would want them to hang out alone, but it’s even weirder that Nini would be okay with it, considering she knows about everything they’d gone through.</p><p>“I’m just saying, I’d never do it,” Red says, looking down at his phone. Right now, he and Ashlyn were playing Among Us in his room.  </p><p>Ashlyn furrows her brows, “Well...maybe she doesn’t know.” </p><p>Red looks up from his phone, “What?”</p><p>“I mean, it’s not completely unheard of, right?” She says. “He probably hasn’t told her everything. She probably only knows that you guys were best friends until…”</p><p>“...a ‘<em> falling out </em>’ of sorts,” he finishes.</p><p>“Exactly. She probably doesn’t know that you two were involved. Hey, come watch me do trash.” </p><p>“Okay,” he replies. “Do you think I should say something to her?” </p><p>“Uh, yeah,” Ashlyn says, rolling her eyes. “I don’t trust that he told her <em> everything </em>, especially because he’s a little bitch.”</p><p>Red let out a light chuckle. “I mean, I don’t want to be a shitty person and hang out with him without asking if she’s okay with it. I know I definitely wouldn’t want an ex hanging with my significant other—<em> alone </em> . Like, that makes me uncomfortable, y’know? As much as I’d trust them, I don’t think I would, like...go <em> that </em> far. I don’t care how close they used to be.”</p><p>“Damn straight!” she exclaims. “Be a good person, Red. You don’t want to be <em> the guy he told her not to worry about </em> cuz that’d be shitty. Plus, if you decide to be a homewrecker, you’ll never have a good relationship. Karma will hate you.”</p><p>He nods, “You’re right—shit, I just died!” </p><p>“Where?”</p><p>He let out a sigh, “Fucking electrical.”</p><p>Ashlyn hums understandingly. “It’s always electrical.” </p><p>“Okay, so, after this game, I’m gonna do it,” Red says after a moment, “and I’ll spam memes to at least six people so the DM gets buried, so I’m not tempted to look at it.”</p><p>“That’s the spirit!” Ashlyn exclaims. “You go, Radish Red!”</p><p>His face scrunches in confusion, “Radish Red?”</p><p>She shrugs, “Well, yeah, ‘cuz your hair…”</p><p>“Wouldn't that make me ‘Carrot Top’?”</p><p>“I was trying to be an individual,” Ashlyn huffs. </p><p>There is a pregnant pause.</p><p>“I mean, it’s not bad…” Red tries.</p><p>“No it was bad.”</p><p>“Yeah, it was bad.” </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>hiii! shorter updates for the next few chapters. it's just more effective that way :)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>redyellowbleu:</b>
  <span> hi </span>
</p><p>
  <b>redyellowbleu:</b>
  <span> so there's something i have to ask you??? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>or tell you about??? i want to be the one to tell you </span>
</p><p>
  <span>about it, even if you already know</span>
</p><p>
  <b>redyellowbleu: </b>
  <span>so obviously ricky and i were friends before</span>
</p><p>
  <b>redyellowbleu:</b>
  <span> right</span>
</p><p>
  <b>redyellowbleu:</b>
  <span> i was in a really bad state of mind back then</span>
</p><p>
  <b>redyellowbleu:</b>
  <span> ricky was cool and he supported me through</span>
</p><p>
  <span> it and got me out of many tough situations throughout the years</span>
</p><p>
  <b>redyellowbleu:</b>
  <span> but for pretty much the entirety of like,,,</span>
</p><p>
  <span>probably a year we were "a thing"</span>
</p><p>
  <b>redyellowbleu:</b>
  <span> like we talked and were kinda set to date </span>
</p><p>
  <span>once the school year started but that didn't happen </span>
</p><p>
  <b>redyellowbleu:</b>
  <span> and i wanted to tell you about it because </span>
</p><p>
  <span>i wasn't sure if ricky mentioned it to you? like it might not </span>
</p><p>
  <span>be that deep now but it feels like kind of a heavy thing, </span>
</p><p>
  <span>especially since i just randomly appear again one day </span>
</p><p>
  <b>redyellowbleu:</b>
  <span> i just wanted to tell you that it happened for </span>
</p><p>
  <span>your own sake bc i know how much it sucks to be like </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"oh u said not to worry abt him but now ur </span>
</p><p>
  <span>telling me u two were a thing and now ur besties?" </span>
</p><p>
  <b>redyellowbleu:</b>
  <span> and i just want to assure you that i'm definitely </span>
</p><p>
  <span>not gonna be trying anything with him because i really</span>
</p><p>
  <span> respect you and i consider you a friend and that </span>
</p><p>
  <span>would be really shitty of me and i'm not about that at all</span>
</p><p>
  <b>redyellowbleu:</b>
  <span> with that being said, he asked </span>
</p><p>
  <span>if we could hang out on like,,,day one</span>
</p><p>
  <span>i'm pretty sure he means alone, which has never </span>
</p><p>
  <span>happened before (when we were a thing, </span>
</p><p>
  <span>bestie ej would chaperone &lt;333)</span>
</p><p>
  <b>redyellowbleu:</b>
  <span> i wanted to see how you felt </span>
</p><p>
  <span>about it before i planned anything???</span>
</p><p>
  <b>redyellowbleu:</b>
  <span> like ricky’s said it was fine and everything, </span>
</p><p>
  <span>but i wanted to hear it from you because i want to </span>
</p><p>
  <span>know that you're okay with it after learning about everything</span>
</p><p>
  <b>redyellowbleu:</b>
  <span> i know i'm the type to feel kind of meh about </span>
</p><p>
  <span>something and not mention it bc it could disturb </span>
</p><p>
  <span>the peace and prevent happiness or whatever</span>
</p><p>
  <b>redyellowbleu:</b>
  <span> and if you're not cool with it? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>thats totally fine with me</span>
</p><p>
  <b>redyellowbleu:</b>
  <span> if you want other people to be there? also fine, </span>
</p><p>
  <span>we have mutual friends that could be there</span>
</p><p>
  <b>redyellowbleu:</b>
  <span> just not ej</span>
</p><p>
  <b>redyellowbleu:</b>
  <span> i can't</span>
</p><p>
  <b>redyellowbleu:</b>
  <span> i can't deal with that man</span>
</p><p>
  <b>redyellowbleu:</b>
  <span> but yeah</span>
</p><p>
  <b>redyellowbleu:</b>
  <span> also sorry for the paragraphs i really </span>
</p><p>
  <span>didnt think it'd be a lot lmfao</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><b>niniukegirl:</b> hey! i really appreciate you reaching </p><p>out to talk to me, it really means a lot. ricky told me </p><p>all about the two of you. i’m fine with him hanging </p><p>out with whoever he wants, as long as they’re not, </p><p>like, in love with him or something. you guys seemed</p><p>really close and i’m really glad that he’s getting a </p><p>friend like you back in his life, cuz i can’t stand ej either, lol! </p><p><b>niniukegirl:</b> i probably won’t change my mind because </p><p>i trust both of you, but if i do, i’ll definitely let you both know.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>i'm gonna fix the formatting at a later date!!!!!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><b>redyellowbleu:</b> hey ricky</p><p><b>redyellowbleu:</b> sorry but i can’t hang out, </p><p>my mom said no :(</p><p> </p><p><b>skateratricky:</b> dang</p><p><b>skateratricky: </b>maybe next time?</p><p> </p><p><b>redyellowbleu:</b> yeah</p><p> </p><p><b>skateratricky: </b>cool, just tell me when you’re free</p><p> </p><p><b>redyellowbleu:</b> of course :)</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>god formatting on mobile is awful</p><p>anyways i'm back to this now so yaaaay</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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